Woman dragged by SUV in East Village dies from injuries, SDPD searches for driver responsible

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) — A woman dragged by an SUV early this week in downtown San Diego's East Village suffered a head injury and died a day later, and Friday police disclosed the incident for the first time as they sought the public's help to find the driver, who's wanted for vehicular manslaughter and felony hit and run, authorities said.

The incident, involving a newer model red Ford Escape, occurred about 7:10 a.m. Monday near the intersection of Island Avenue and 15th Street, said Sgt. Victoria Houseman with the San Diego Police Department's traffic division.

That's where the 46-year-old victim, accompanied by a man, approached the suspect's passenger side front window and struck up some sort of communication.

"As a conversation took place between the female and the driver, the female reached into the vehicle,'' Houseman said. "For unknown reasons, the driver accelerated, dragging the female about 15 feet before she fell from the vehicle and landed on her head.''

The suspect sped away northbound on 15th Street while the victim was taken to a hospital, Houseman said. She died Tuesday from the head injury.

The driver of the Escape was described as a white man in his 60s with white hair and a full but trimmed white beard. His red Escape had California license plates with unknown numbers.

Anyone with information regarding the incident was asked to call the SDPD's traffic division at (858) 495-7808. Tipsters who wish to remain anonymous can contact San Diego County Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477 or online at sdcrimestoppers.org.

Amid a run of unusually warm, dry weather, the predicted return of gusty, arid Santa Ana winds prompted the National Weather Service to issue a fire weather watch that's set to go into effect Wednesday night in parts of San Diego County.

Amid a run of unusually warm, dry weather, the predicted return of gusty, arid Santa Ana winds prompted the National Weather Service to issue a fire weather watch that's set to go into effect Wednesday night in parts of San Diego County.